My Funny Valentine
by FlowerofAdversity
Summary: Note: A Haunted Junction fanfic. After graduating, Haruto reluctantly takes over his Father’s parish. Haruto still sees ghosts, just as his friends do. They are still part of the (Holy) Student Council and help others understand the spirits that shar


My Funny Valentine

Note: A Haunted Junction fanfic. After graduating, Haruto reluctantly takes over his Father's parish. Haruto still sees ghosts, just as his friends do. They are still part of the (Holy) Student Council and help others understand the spirits that share the human world with them. One day, Haruto and his friends receive a call from a young woman named Haruna Akida who has a poltergeist problem. The Council exorcises it and she falls for Haruto. Haruto doesn't discover until later that she can levitate objects using telekinesis.

It can never be too terribly "normal" for him, but at last he has found true love.

Chapter 1—Peace, Tranquility…Yeah, Right !

Haruto Houjo had recently graduated from Saitoh Academy and had taken his rightful place as a priest in his father's parish. Inasmuch as he loathed the idea of becoming a priest for the rest of his life, he found himself actually _enjoying_ it. His life was fairly 'normal', but he could see ghosts just like his friends did. He got together with 'the old gang' from time to time when he wasn't working. Haruto thought that his life was at last peaceful and nothing very eventful had happened in his life, except for the occasional mall romp and karaoke night with his friends. But then, one fateful evening, that all changed.

Before Haruto went to sleep, he received a call from Mutsuki and Kasumi on the same line. Usually the two of them never called together, so he had a feeling this wasn't just your run of the mill phone call. "What's the problem ?", Haruto questioned.

"Well, Kaisho…", Kasumi began.

"Don't call me that ! I'm no longer the president of the Student Council. Those days are over !", Haruto yelled. He _loathed_ being referred to as the 'president' since he had been forcefully elected to that position in the first place when he was in Saitoh. He'd rather not relive those days again, but sadly, whether he liked it or not, he was going to have to be subjected to being called Kaisho again.

"Sheesh, Pres. Get a grip ! This is more important !", Mutsuki said, interrupting.

"We have a problem, Houjo. There is a young woman named Haruna Akida. She's been having some poltergeist problems. The spiritual phenomenon has been happening recently, and we're the only exorcists in Japan. ", Kasumi answered.

Houjo rolled his blue eyes and slapped his hand over his eyes. He couldn't believe this was happening to him. "Oh my God.", he thought to himself, shaking his head left and right. "Besides, I've heard this lady is _drop dead gorgeous_.", Kasumi said, the sound of his drooling could be detected over the phone. Haruto thought about this for a moment, but then retorted with a witty quip.

"What about Hanako ?", Houjo said, smugly.

"I'm not talking about _me_ ! I'm thinking of you, Pres !", Kasumi replied.

"Who cares about the girl ! Kaisho, do you still have the badges ?", Mutsuki inquired. "Yes. Why is that ?", Haruto responded, raising a blonde eyebrow.

"We're gonna need the entire gang for this gang of ghosties.", Kasumi said.

"Then I can see my dear Nino-kun again ! Ah, how long it has been…", Mutsuki thought to herself. Haruto agreed to meet them right away. The sooner this exorcism was through, the sooner he could return to tranquility.

Chapter 2—Haruna is Hot Stuff

In the suburbs, the 'old gang' came upon the Akida residence. Haruto rang the doorbell and waited for Haruna to answer. A young, svelte, dark-blue haired woman came to the door in pajamas and a robe. Before the guys' jaws could drop, some dishes went flying out of the door. Instantly, she hid behind the group to hide from the projectile objects. "I'm glad you arrived when you did. Since _they've_ shown up, I cannot get them to leave. I've tried everything, including sacred talismans !", Haruna said, inadvertently shielding herself and the entire group from the flying furniture.

They thought it was pretty unusual that she had psychokenetic energy but that didn't matter at the time. With Haruto's command, the Saitoh School Spirits appeared once more. The two useless ones, Bones and Haruo, were trembling in a corner somewhere clinging onto one another like the scardy-cats they were.

The battle between the Saitoh School Spirits and the bothersome poltergeists took many hours upon end until Blue Hanten, Hanako and Red Mantle had used their seductive charm to lure the poltergeists out and safely to the Other Side. By the time the mischievous spirits were gone the inside of the house was a wreck. Although the spirits wished to help, Haruna was already reorganizing everything using her incredible ability.

Haruto was staring at her intently, amazed at both the ability and how attractive she was. "Job's done. We need our payment, lady.", Mutsuki said in a brisk tone, holding out her hand. Haruna gave Mutsuki her payment with a flick of her wrist whilst she was tidying up. 'Kazuo', who was getting a little frisky with Hanako noticed the money flying by and then his jaw drop. Then he realized Haruto was completely _out of it_. Not a word, not even the mention of him as Kaisho snapped him out of it. "Um, boss ?", the two said in unison. Haruto was dumbstruck and his eyes were glazed over.

"Oh man, has he got it bad !", Bones Suzuki said.

"You've got it. The only thing worse is the mosquitoes that keep biting my butt !", Haruo said, sadly shaking his head left and right and nursing some fresh bites that he had received on his hind-end.

"Come on, Pres. We've done our work, now we must go.", Asahina said, dragging him by the collar.

"Let's go, lover boy.", Kazuo stated, helping her pick Haruto up. The rest of the spirits followed and the chairman lagged behind. He was shaking his head left and right.

"Young love, how foolish it can be.", he secretly thought, but then found himself grinning blithely at Haruna's uncanny loveliness.

Chapter 3—Let's Give Haruna a Chance

Kasumi and Mutsuki noticed how Haruto had changed. Usually over the weekends, he would join them to see a movie or play video games at the local arcade.

However, he was spending more and more of his time with Haruna. Obviously, he hadn't been hanging out with them as much anymore since the Akida cleansing. It was odd and different without Haruto there, but it was apparent that he was in love. Unfortunately, he hadn't realized just how selfish he was being leaving his friends out of his weekends. But, he wanted her to become a part of the 'team'. She was more than happy to do that, seeing that she had special abilities. The rest of the team wasn't so certain. She would have to prove herself first.

Haruto understood why the team felt the way they did. They had been limited to their typical triad of Kasumi, Mutsuki and Haruto himself. They thought that adding a fourth member would upset the apple cart. She hadn't really had a chance to show what she could do, but everyone in the group thought about this for a while. Maybe there would be another call (as there usually was at the most inopportune times). This would be a chance where she could show exactly what she was made of. If she passed this simple test, she would be inducted into the team. Besides, they had to get to know her better. The only one who knew her fairly well was Haruto and he was totally love struck over her.

Just like clockwork, the exorcists were called to yet another "disturbance". A situation like this hadn't happen very often, but when it did, Haruto usually received the call. Akida was told about the call secondarily and she was allowed to come with the team to prove that she had what it took to make herself worthy of being part of the group. She already had the spirituality, the pure heart and the personality. All it took now was determination, perspiration and hard work to get where she wanted to be, next to her beloved Houjo.

Chapter 4—The Right Stuff

Despite the triad's strained relationship, they were able to rekindle their bonds of friendship with Haruna around. She was so agreeable that her attitude was quite contagious and everyone caught on to her optimism. She was the first to enter the possessed area, surrounded by damned spirits, ghosts, goblins and ghouls of all sorts.

The air practically reeked of demons and it was obvious that this was a cursed place.

So many horrible deaths had happened in this area, but Haruna tried to look at the bright side of the situation.

It took the entire team's effort combined to convince the spirits to leave this place and cross over. Most were easy to coax and others were stubborn. Haruna used her deep spirituality to guide many of the troubled souls towards the Light. Her ability was very impressive and she put herself before the team if they were in trouble. Haruto too, had learned an important lesson from his beloved in this very instance. His friends were the most important things in his life. He could have love and enjoy the company of friends as well. He didn't need to compromise, but learn how to be less conceited. Thanks to the wise teaching of his girlfriend, he had learned this lesson well and did all he could to cleanse this area.

Even though it had taken a lot of their time, the team had finally cleansed the area and the people that lived close to it were _tremendously_ grateful. The exorcists were handsomely rewarded and even given a place to stay for the night, a hearty dinner and inviting breakfast to eat before they returned to their homes. Haruna had most definitely proved that she had the right stuff for this job. Yet, none of them looked at it as a "job" but a way to help others, living and the dead.

Epilogue 

As the years went steadily by, the friends had actual "jobs" besides their duty and purpose to help the living and the dead. Kasumi had remained true to his love; Hanako and Mutsuki had retained her Shoten complex for Nino. The school spirits were remaining with the Holy Student Council, whether they were in Saitoh or not. As for Haruto, he didn't mind this at all and had gotten used to being around the supernatural.

His new wife was nothing short of that. He knew his life would never be normal, but he really didn't mind that. The one thing he was really looking forward to was becoming a father in the future. He hoped that he would be a good father and raise his son or daughter well in the world but he realized that with Haruna anything was possible and God was most certainly on his side.

The End

By: Elizabeth Berndt  
December 2, 2004


End file.
